The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Side Effects Review

Side Effects Review

RATING: (3.5 STARS) The auteur theory is a frequently debated and discussed topic within the film world. Behind the theory is the idea that an “auteur” is a prolific director whose work is easily identifiable based on just a few characteristics—themes, camerawork, music, regular collaborations with specific actors, and other things of this nature. Opponents […]

Ranking the 2012 Oscar Nominees

Ranking the 2012 Oscar Nominees

Just a quick hit today. I took this idea from In Contention, and last year, I put forth a ranked list of that year’s nominees. Below are the films I haven’t seen, followed by my rankings of all those I have seen. Films I haven’t seen: My Week with Marilyn, A Cat in Paris, Chico […]

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Review

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Review

RATING: (3 STARS) David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is about as good as its nauseatingly dense source material would allow. I’m no fan of Stieg Larsson’s novel, nor the original Swedish film version. Fincher, however, is able to milk this puppy for all its worth. It’s pulp for mass consumption. It hides […]

2011 Fall Movie Preview

2011 Fall Movie Preview

To be honest, I really wasn’t all that excited for this fall’s crop of movies—at least not as excited as I usually feel around this time. I’m not sure if it was this year’s spring and summer malaise carrying over, or if I just hadn’t been keeping up with things as closely as I usually […]

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2010) Review

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2010) Review

RATING: (2.5 STARS) It’s not hard to understand why The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is such a literary phenomenon. It’s also easy to see why it’s first big screen translation doesn’t work. The film runs nearly 150 minutes, yet it feels like a lot of important material is left on the cutting room floor. […]